Crystal Palace's bid to compete in the Europa League has been thwarted after their appeal against UEFA's decision was rejected. The club will now participate in the Conference League this season.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld UEFA's ruling, which stemmed from a third-party ownership issue involving John Textor, who held stakes in both Crystal Palace and Lyon. Lyon also qualified for the Europa League, creating a conflict under UEFA regulations. Nottingham Forest, were initially slated for Conference League qualifiers, will now take Crystal Palace's place in the Europa League.
Crystal Palace argued that Textor's influence at Selhurst Park was not "decisive" and alleged that Nottingham Forest's owner, Evangelos Marinakis, had lobbied for their removal. However, the CAS panel found that UEFA's regulations were clear and provided no flexibility for non-compliant clubs on the assessment date.
The panel also dismissed Crystal Palace's claim of unfair treatment compared to Nottingham Forest and Lyon. As a result, Crystal Palace will now face either Midtjylland or Fredrikstad in the Conference League play-offs. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest will directly enter the Europa League group stage. This outcome could cost Crystal Palace an estimated £20 million in revenue.
